Former Chicago Blackhawks Captain Emerging As A Free Agent Option For The Penguins

Jonathan Toews has been out of the NHL since 2023, with the former Chicago Blackhawks captain suffering what many believed to be a career ending injury, with the expectation that he would not return to the league again.

At 37-years old however, Toews' agent Pat Brisson has made it clear that he's 100% ready to return to the league in 2025/26, with the expectation this summer that there's plenty of interest in him as a free agent.

The obvious move for Toews would be to join the Winnipeg Jets, as they are a team in desperate need of a 2C, with the former Blackhawks star being a Manitoba native, with teams like Toronto and Anaheim also emerging as potential options.

One team that shouldn't be counted out is the Pittsburgh Penguins, a team that could be looking to go big in free agency to maximize the final years of Sidney Crosby in a Penguins uniform, and if they signed Toews, it could be the chance to move Evgeni Malkin to 87's wing.

It's unclear just how aggressive Kyle Dubas could be in pursuing Toews, but he's stated before that the team are ready to buy big in the summer if it makes sense, and if Toews can be 75% of the player he was before retirement, he's the perfect fit in the middle-six for many teams around the league.

Ultimately, this isn't an opportunity the Penguins should scoff at, and while they may not end up landing Toews, it would be a surprise if Dubas and the front office weren't aggressive in pursuing him.